We Only Part To Meet Again
by Mrs.Alice.Whitlock
Summary: Tyler was taken from his family by the disastrous 9/11 Attacks and for however long it takes, he will wait for them in the kingdom of heaven.
1. Prologue

Running. Screaming. Smoke. Alarm Bells. Shouts. Sobbing.

These were the last things I heard on Earth.

I gripped tightly onto my book as the screams intesified.

_Mom..._

The room shook more violently than before, but it didn't stop.

_Aidan..._

Smoke billowed around me.

_Caroline..._

Janine squeezed my spare hand tightly.

_Dad..._

I squeezed back and waited for the painful death I knew was coming.

_Ally..._

The building came crashing down on us and I knew no more.


	2. Janine

Mummering.

Distant voices were chattering.

Where were these voices coming from? They sounded far away...

Wait. If I was dead, how could I hear? Was that even possible?

If I could hear, then surely I'd have other senses.

I was suddenly aware of the ground underneath me.

I moved a hand. It ached. I groaned. Moving was not an option. My body ached too much. Instead, I lifted my right eye-lid.

In front of me was a large green field with a huge crowd in the distance. This was the source of the mummering. Around me, there were hundreds of men and women all dressed as if for a day at the office, and they were all laying on the ground around me. Like me, they must have been in too much pain to move.

"Look at how many there are." an irritated male voice said.

A female sighed, "This is horrible."

"I know, think about the queue's they'll cause just trying to get in."

"You are so insensitive!" the female snapped. "Just thinking about what has happened makes me want to cry." She paused and took a long, shaky breath. She carried on in a watery voice. "What's worse is that they just keep on turning up, one after the other. All of them have families. People they love."

Her voice had got louder as she got closer to me, and by the time she had stopped talking, her feet were in front of my face.

She paused and knelt down to look at me.

Her skin was pale and luminescent, in contrast with her long brown hair, which cascaded like waves down her back. She had a glow around her which instantly told me she wasn't human. I didn't feel scared like I knew I should. I felt safe.

"Tyler Hawkins." she said to me with a smile, her shining blue eyes looking intently at mine.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"I'm an angel." she said simply, in a voice that sounded like bells chiming. "We know everyone's name."

"Take my hand." she said, holding it out for me to take. I took it willingly, even though the pain in my arm was screaming at me not to. She pulled me up to a sitting position.

"You'll be aching." she told me gently. "But I'm not surprised. The transition between Earth and the Above is quite a hard journey."

My brow furrowed in concentration.

"You won't be able to remember it." she assured me almost instantly.

"What-" I began, but she cut me off.

"-Your questions will be answered in a matter of time." She pointed to the crowd of people. "You see that crowd over there?"

I nodded.

"You'll need to join it. See if there's anyone you know around here, help them up and take them with you."

She stood up and began to walk away to another man near to me.

"T-thank you." I stuttered after her. She turned to face me and to give me one last smile.

"I wish you all the best Tyler Hawkins."

She then turned her attention to the man in front of her.

I looked around at the people around me, some were being helped up by other angels. Others by fellow humans. And a few were still laid on the ground. I looked down at the woman next to me and Instantly recognized her. Janine. Her eyes were open, but she looked unable to move.

"Janine." I whispered, kneeling by her face, like my angel had done just a few moments ago.

"Tyler?" she asked, breathless.

"Yeah, it's me." I took her hand and hauled her up.

"Where are we?" she asked frantically.

"I'm not even sure." I told her honestly. "We need to join that crowd though. That's where we'll get our answers."

She nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Janine had always been the calm and loving secretary I had known for practically all my life. She was never frantic or scared, she was just the woman that would be there when you needed something. Now, for practically the first time, Janine was absolutely terrified. She gripped my hand tightly as we walked slowly towards the crowd.

"What do you think happened?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know." I replied and I squeezed her hand. "But somehow I don't think we're alive anymore."

She was silent for a moment and then turned to face me, her eyes glistening in tears.

"John and Katie." she said shakily. "What are they going to do without me?"

"They're strong." I told her sincerely. "Just like you."

I paused.

"My family on the other hand..."

"Love you very much." she told me. I looked down to my feet.

"Mom'll be a wreck." I said quietly. "Dad...I don't know. Caroline- Oh Caroline!" I stopped abruptly and Janine grabbed me into a hug, the warm and comforting kind that I have experienced over the many years of her friendship to my family.

"She's already lost one brother." I sobbed into her shoulder. "And now she's lost me."

"She's strong. Like you." Janine assured me, patting my back. "All of them are. They'll grieve. How can they not? They love you! But they'll miss you, so very much. But you'll always be a part of them."

"Aidan..." I carried on, talking into her shoulder. "I'm going to miss him. His arrogance, his idiocy, his foolishness." I sighed. "The way he'd always make me laugh, the way he'd always make me feel better..."

My tears started to flow again.

"I'm just going to miss having him as my best friend in the entire world."

"And he's going to miss you." she told me.

"And then there's Ally."

"Is this the new girl I heard about?" she laughed.

I gave a watery laugh into her shoulder.

"Is she special?" she asked.

"Yes." I whispered. "Very special."

"You two were torn apart too quickly."

I pulled away from her shoulder.

"I know."

She gently brushed my hair to the side.

"Come on." she said, releasing me from the hug. "Let's go." 

I nodded wiping away the tears that remained on my face, embarassed. Janine noticed my discomfort and laughed, while wiping away her own tears.

"It's not the first time I've seen you cry you know."

I smiled.

"There was that time you broke your arm-"

"That _really _hurt!"

We both laughed in unison.

"Well." she said as we neared the crowd. "If there was anyone to choose to have this experience with, it would be you."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Not that I want you to die too." she assured me. "I just enjoy your company."

"Ahem." A loud voice interrupted us and the chatter of the crowd ceased.

A pompous looking angel was stood at the very front with another angel beside him sat behind a desk with a parchment and quill.

"Death Decree, Tuesday September 11th 2001." the pompous angel announced and the other began to write.

Janine squeezed my hand from beside me.

"Time, 8:46 to 10:28. Location, New York City, The World Trade Center. Death toll, 2973."

The angel stopped writing and the pompous angel turned to adress us.

"You shall all be called in alphabetical order up here, to be taken by a family member or friend who has already joined us here in the Above.

"Annabelle Barrington."

A small brunette walked up to the front. The angel directed her through a door and he called out the next name.

The list continued and soon he reached, "Janine Carnley."

She turned to me and gave me one last hug. "I'll see you soon?"

"Of course." I whispered.

"I expect a visit from you asap." she told me sternly. She squeezed my hand for the last time and walked to the front, and I watched her walk through the door.

"Tyler Hawkins." The angel called out, after what seemed forever.

I walked briskly to the front, catching the odd comment from friends of my father.

"He's proud of you Tyler." one said.

"Best wishes." another said.

I stepped up to the door and opened it. I was blinded by light, but without thinking I stepped forward into it.

I was disorientated when I heard the door slam behind me.

"You look different." a familiar voice noted. "Older."

I blinked furiously as I regained my vision.

"Michael."


End file.
